GIS mathematic model analyzing the attractiveness of the Romanian settlements network, assessing the competitiveness factors at national level

The planning activity is essential for territorial development. Cities have a catalytic effect on economic development and on the establishment of functional local networks. The article aims to present the assessment of the economic potential of Romanian localities – for development, stability or decline – by identifying the factors causing such trends. The method used is an innovative one. Thus, for each analysed indicator at locality level, a grouping of values was achieved on 10 intervals, in accordance with the standard scheme for classification on natural breaks (Jencks), obtaining thus 10 groups and for which scores from 1 to 10 have been assessed, in ascending order of values. For each studied domain and each locality, an index was calculated as the average of all scores, weighted by importance coefficients. Similarly, a final attractiveness index at locality level was obtained, as an average of corresponding indexes for all studied domains weighted by their coefficients of importance. Specific indexes calculated for each domain and the final attractiveness index for all localities were translated into thematic GIS maps, by using ARCGIS 10.2.2. and its statistical support. The article was developed based on studies of the project PN 16.10.07.01 – Phase-III: “Analysing the attractiveness of urban and rural localities network as competitive, dynamic and innovative entities, in order to connect to the European network of development poles and corridors” and project 63PED / 2017 – “Innovative model for the territorial planning of a polycentric and balanced settlements network in the context of smart specialization of Romania’s cities.”